Women’s Health: Take your power back without shame with Plan B

This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LetsTalkPlanB #CollectiveBias #ad

Women have been fighting for autonomy over their own bodies since the beginning of time.

In that spirit, let’s have a discussion about our sexuality.

There’s still a lot of shame associated with women who are sexually confident and free. Meaning, women who acknowledge and honor their need for sex are still met with judgment and society attaches a stigma to her actions (not his, by the way). But, when women hide and deny their bodies desires, then they will be the ones more likely unprepared in situations when they find themselves in a love-making moment. This is a poor strategy to not have a plan, because it leads to surprises in the form of STD’s and unintended pregnancies.

But, still...there should be no shame if you find yourself in that place.

For that reason, I have partnered with Plan B One-Step emergency contraception to do a myth-busting post about what you can do if you have had unprotected sex and don’t want to be pregnant after regular birth control failed or after experiencing a slip-up. *Remember to use as directed.

Myth 1: Plan B only works if you take it immediately the next morning.

This can be confusing, because it is sometimes called the "morning after pill." Research by physicians do show that Plan B is most effective within 24 hours of unprotected sex. However, it is still effective within 24-72 hours. Taking Plan be any time before 72hrs have passed after unprotected sex is still better than not taking anything at all.

*If you find yourself outside of that 72 hour window, you have other options. Consult your doctor to learn what would be best for you.

Importantly, there is no age restriction, and you do not need an ID or prescription to buy Plan B pretty much in any drug store.

Myth 2: Taking all your birth control pills at once is the same as taking Plan B.

The active ingredient in Plan B, levonorgestrel, is the same ingredient in many common birth control pills – just at a higher, single dose. However, taking a bunch of your regular birth control pills is not a smart idea, and put you at risk by not taking the correct dosage or do other harm because oral contraceptive pills may have other ingredients as well. Your pills might not contain the correct hormones. So instead of spending hours combing the internet trying to find a solution in an emergency situation, you can find Plan B emergency contraception pill at Walmart. And, there is a Walmart nearly everywhere!

There's no evidence to suggest that Plan B — or any emergency contraceptive — has an adverse effect on your ability to get pregnant when you want to be in the future. So your future kids will have essentially the same fighting chance at conception as they always did. (Your own personal fertility will remain unaffected)

Myth 4: Plan B is like having an abortion.

Super false! Plan B is emergency contraception, a very important distinction of helping prevent a pregnancy before it begins versus medically ending a pregnancy, which is an abortion. In other words, Plan B will delay ovulation and therefore prevent an egg from meeting a sperm in the first place, whereas an abortion ends a pregnancy that is already implanted in the uterus.

Further, if you are already pregnant, Plan B will not affect an existing pregnancy.

I hope these notes give you a little more clarity about what Plan B is and how it is available to you in case of emergency.

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About Author

Dayvee Sutton is a two-time Emmy Award Winning sports journalist, entertainment and lifestyle reporter, social commentator and entrepreneur. You can learn more about her at www.dayveesutton.com
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